Jacksonville will only continue to grow..check in with @Joseph Chiofalo he's a excellent local lender excellent at educating first time investors.

What does that have to do with a personal refi loan in my name?

My dad broke up the concrete in just a few locations so water could seep through and drain into the soil, then filled the pool with the cheapest stone and clean soil locally available, then planted grass.

I'm originally from Maryland (close to DC) and currently live here but willing to move to be local to Norfolk/Hampton Roads if necessary.

I would recommend placing on extension and finding a local CPA with property knowledge. 

There are many different successful strategies depending on your cash, borrowing ability, rehab skills, time, local contacts, or lack of any or all of them.

Diversification of your portfolio, both geographically and by property type, can spread risk and mitigate the impact of localized economic conditions.

Here (Louisiana), I have intervened in these situations and made the repairs needed to satisfy the local municipality.

If they do look up the owner's name.

As a local, you could just keep our sleepy gold mine off the front page that would be great haha.